TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays recalled Neil Wagner from the Buffalo Bisons on Wednesday and optioned fellow right-hander Marcus Walden to the triple-A club. Wagner, 30, appeared in 36 games for the Blue Jays last season, posting a 2-4 record with a 3.79 earned-run average. He gives Toronto another hard-throwing right-handed option out of the bullpen. "It made sense to get a little more firepower late (in games)," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said before Wednesdays game against the Houston Astros. Wagner played 23 games with Buffalo in 2013 and had 16 saves with a 0.76 ERA. The six-foot 215-pound Minneapolis native has not allowed a run in two appearances with the Bisons this season, earning saves in both outings. Gibbons said Wagner impressed him last season and again this year at spring training. "He came into his own," he said of Wagners performance last year. "He started out in triple-A and put it all together, came up and did a nice job for us. Hes got that big arm. Thats what you like to see coming late in the game. The key for him was he started finding that strike zone consistently. "Thats something that had deserted him in his career until last year. Yeah, we expect him to fill a big role for us." The Toronto bullpen is missing closer Casey Janssen, whos on the 15-day disabled list with a strain in his left abdominal area and lower back. Gibbons said pitching coach Pete Walker thought Janssen looked "really, really good" in a bullpen session earlier in the day. "Hell throw one more side (session) and then well just see where hes at," Gibbons said of the veteran right-hander. "He may go out on a rehab (assignment) after that. If hes not really good, then hell throw another one." "Pete said he really picked it up today compared to his last one," Gibbons added. Janssen, who went on the DL on March 30, was 4-1 last year with 34 saves and a 2.56 ERA. Toronto shortstop Jose Reyes, whos on the 15-day DL with a hamstring injury, did some light running Wednesday and took some swings in the batting cage. His lone game appearance came in a season-opening loss to Tampa Bay. "Hes making progress," Gibbons said. "This next road trip well get him out there running the bases a little bit. Hes moving along pretty good." Second baseman Maicer Izturis was slotted into the second spot in the batting order against the Astros. Izturis has yet to drive in a run this season but hes batting at a .421 clip. "Hes swinging it," Gibbons said. "Hes been one of our hottest hitters. So well get him up there and see what happens." Izturis batted in the No. 8 position Tuesday when the Blue Jays opened the three-game series with a 5-2 victory at Rogers Centre. In 107 games last season, Izturis had a .236 average with five homers and 32 RBIs. "He came into camp in better shape this year, really focused, and hes done a nice job," Gibbons said. "He made a couple nice plays last night at second base and thats good to see too." Walden did not make an appearance with the Blue Jays after being called up last Saturday. Custom San Francisco Giants Jerseys . General manager David Poile called signing Ribeiro a great opportunity to add a talented, experienced and creative centre Tuesday when he introduced the veteran at a news conference. Ribeiros contract is worth $1.05 million after being bought out of the final three years of a $22 million contract by the Coyotes recently. San Francisco Giants Gear .com) - The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to play spoiler as the Los Angeles Kings will try to match their longest winning streak in over four years in Thursdays battle at Staples Center. https://www.cheapjerseysgiants.us/. -- The defending Canadian womens curling champions squandered an opportunity to take sole possession of first place in the standings Tuesday at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Giants Jerseys 2020 .ca. Mr. Fraser, I think everyone would like to hear your opinion on what sort of suspension Zac Rinaldo should get. His comment after the game of I changed the whole game, man. Wholesale Giants Jerseys .com) - The Eastern Conferences best team takes on one of its worst Tuesday night when the Atlanta Hawks pay a visit to the Wells Fargo Center to take on the Philadelphia 76ers.TORONTO - The Raptors locker room was unnervingly quiet Friday evening, about how you would expect it after the implausible ending that sealed the teams fate in a double-overtime disaster. In the back corner sat an inconsolable John Salmons, the elephant in the room. Facing his locker, Salmons slouched forward in his chair, his head down in his hands and a long black towel draped over him. One by one his teammates came over to comfort him, patting him on the back and offering words of encouragement. He didnt move. He remained in that position, perfectly still for over 30 minutes. They win as a team and they lose as a team, but Salmons felt the brunt of it on this night. What seemed like a sure victory late in the second overtime period began to unravel when an exceptional player made an exceptional shot. With the Raptors up by eight, 49 seconds away from an improbable victory and season-sweep of the 50-win Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant banked in a 27-foot three-point jumper. Following another Thunder three - this one courtesy veteran assassin Derek Fisher - Salmons threw away an inbounds pass on the baseline, only to break up Durants runner and get sent to the line. With less than 10 seconds remaining, now up two, Salmons clanked both free throws, paving the way for the leagues leading scorer to do what he does best. Break hearts. "Great players make great plays," Dwane Casey said of Durant, moments after his 31-foot pull-up dagger gave the Thunder a 119-118 victory. Since coming over from Sacramento in December, Salmons has been praised for his poise and veteran savvy late in games, many of which hes helped them win. This was not his finest hour. "Hes a veteran (and) in those situations youve got to believe in him, that hes going to make those free throws," Casey said of Salmons, playing in place of Terrence Ross, who left the game with a hip contusion. "We had to go with John in that situation. Hes been one of our best defenders in that situation, but its not just one guy." The Raptors, now 1-6 in OT this season, need to close out these types of games. Salmons needs to be better down the stretch, they know it and so does he. It was three months ago, almost to this day that the Raptors pulled off their most impressive win of the season, a 104-98 victory in Oklahoma City. Coming off an OT win in Dallas a couple days prior and trailing by as many as 10 in the fourth, Toronto shocked the Thunder, who were undefeated at home at the time. "It helped kick start us going forward," Casey said of that night. "It helped our chemistry, it helped our togetherness it helped blend in the old and the new guys together." It would not have happened if not for Salmons. The 12-year vet spearheaded his new teams comeback, scoring nine points in the final quarter. After the game his teammates raved about his leadership and calming effect on the floor. Kyle Lowry gave him the game ball. Like Patrick Paterson - sttill out with an injured elbow - Greivis Vasquez, who was spectacular before fouling out Friday, and Chuck Hayes, Salmons fingerprints are all over the teams resurgence and that should not be forgotten, internally or externally.dddddddddddd The Raptors proved something to themselves in OKC that night. They proved that they belonged. Three months later, clinging onto the Easts third seed and top spot in the Atlantic Division, they fell just short of proving something to everybody else. For whatever reason the franchise and its fan base has been battered by losses of the devastating variety to the point in which theyre almost immune to them. Toronto has lost 10 straight overtime games at home, an NBA record. "It does (hurt)," Casey admitted, "but we cant let it." "We cant let this game (give us a) hangover. (Its) a big learning experience for our guys. Youre playing with one of the top teams in the league, one of the top players... and you give yourself a chance to win in (double) overtime." KD the magnificent It seems impossible to fathom that Friday once started off as a slow night for Durant. The Thunder forward made just three of his 12 first-half shots but once Russell Westbrook went down in the third quarter - colliding with Lowry and spraining his surgically repaired right knee - Durant, with the help of some generous officiating, completely took over. Durant scored 51 and finished with 12 rebounds and seven assists, getting to the line 19 times and extending his streak of 25 or more points to 34 games, longest since Michael Jordans 40-game run in 1986-87. Amirs memorable game Playing in his 500th career contest, Amir Johnson nearly willed his team to victory. The Raptors forward recorded a double-double of 25 points and 12 rebounds, connecting on 12 of his 19 shots in 50 minutes of action. He also spent the bulk of the second half guarding Durant, per his own request made after Ross exited with the hip injury. "It was tough, man," he said, asked about defending the leagues leading scorer. "Hes my height, out there shooting from half court. Theres not too much you can do but double team that." "He did a great job," Casey added. "I felt for him. Hes hurt. He was all over him, draped over him. (Durant) made a tough shot. Theres nothing Amir did wrong." The stat For the first time since Jan. 13, 2013, the Raptors had four players score 20 or more points. Along with Johnson, DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with 33 points, hitting all but one of his 16 free throws, while Lowry added 25 and Vasquez scored 21 off the bench. The quote "We couldnt go another overtime," Durant said. "I had to live with whatever happened. You had to get out of there. I wasnt trying to go to another overtime. I pulled up for it, it looked good when it left my hands and God guided that thing to the basket, man. That was the craziest game Ive ever been a part of." ' ' '